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{
    "id": 1060106,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1060106/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 247,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1835,
        "legal_name": "Anthony Kimani Ichung'Wah",
        "slug": "anthony-kimani-ichungwah"
    },
    "content": "I agree with what the President said yesterday in Dodoma during the requiem mass for the late President Magufuli. He said that the late President Magufuli showed us that it is possible for countries to develop and grow in Africa without depending on foreign aid and borrowed funds. I am not saying that it is bad to borrow, but let us borrow money and put it into productive economic activities that will grow our economies. Even as we support this Appropriations Bill, we must caution the National Treasury that we will be vigilant to ensure that money is going to the right priorities. I commend the Budget and Appropriations Committee. We should not allow new projects like the construction of a slaughterhouse. There is nothing of an emergency nature in the construction of a slaughterhouse, as much as I have been a butcher of repute for many years. There are other ways we can do many of these things, including supporting the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) and others that are already established without necessarily going into things that may be politically expedient for us. I also want to ask the Cabinet Secretary (CS), National Treasury, to be balanced in how he is allocating funds particularly in the region where he comes from. It is a question of financial prudence and good governance to ensure that when you are in public service and in a public office, you do not use that office to do things that are politically expedient and things that will favor certain regions or certain ethnic communities at the expense of other regions. I challenge the Cabinet Secretary, National Treasury, to rise above small issues and become a leader who will allocate resources across the nation. Hon. Speaker, let me support this Appropriations Bill and in closing, say that because we are in the NG-CDF agitation period, when you see Members of Parliament become very agitated and aggressive in asking for the resources to be released to their accounts… I am glad that, as of today, there is close to 38 per cent of what was budgeted for in this Financial Year. I have seen a letter that the Leader of Majority has, committing to Ksh2 billion every week. Let me be on record to tell the National Treasury that, that must not be cosmetic. As much as it was put in writing, it must not be something to hoodwink Members of Parliament here. If by 30th April, CS Ukur Yatani has not disbursed the entire amount that was budgeted this year and by 27th June the arrears of Kshs13 billion will not have been disbursed, I do not think we will have any business considering the annual estimates for the next financial year if we cannot actualise what we budgeted for in this financial year. We must send that warning to CS Ukur Yatani and tell him: “Before you bring the estimates, ensure we have the full allocation for NG-CDF for F/Y 2020/2021 and the arrears before we process those estimates.” It is not a threat; it is good advice to the CS Ukur Yatani. Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to support."
}